QR code ideas · Guides

My “free” QR code now asks me to pay: why, and what to do

You created a QR code on a site that called it free, printed it, and a few days later it leads to a “trial ended” or “upgrade now” page. It is not a bug: it is how many generators are designed. Here is how it works and how to get out of it.

Your code stopped working? Check where it leads, then replace it with a code that depends on no subscription.

Check my QR code Create a code with no subscription

Why your code stopped working

The code you were given does not hold your address: it holds a short link owned by the generator. That link forwards to your website while your account is active. When the trial ends, often after 7 or 14 days, the service cuts the redirect or sends it to its payment page. The printed image is fine, but the path it follows has been cut.

How to check in one minute

Scan the code and look at the address shown before the redirect: if it is not your site, the code goes through a middleman.
Or use our “My QR code stopped working” tool: it reads a photo of the code and follows every redirect to the end.
Check your emails and bank statement: a trial that turns into a subscription usually leaves a trace (welcome email, card charge).

What to do now

If you do not want to pay: do not reactivate anything, and create a new code that depends on no one. You will need to reprint one last time.
If a subscription was taken out without you wanting it: cancel it now (see our “Cancel a QR code subscription” guide) and ask for a refund (see our “Get a refund” guide).
If your materials are very costly to reprint (signage, vehicle), compare: paying for a few months while you reprint may cost less than throwing everything away.

How to never get caught again

A static QR code puts your content directly in the code: it goes through no server and cannot be cut off. It is free with us, no account needed.
If you want to change the link after printing, choose an editable code paid once: €2.99 at QR Durable, live for at least 10 years, no subscription.
Before printing, read the generator’s pricing page: look for “trial”, “per month”, “billed annually”.

Questions

Can a QR code really “expire”?

A static QR code cannot: its content is in the image. Only codes that go through a service’s link can be cut off, when that service decides.

Can I get my old code back without paying?

Usually not: the link belongs to the service that created it. The lasting fix is a new code that depends only on you.

Is it legal to cut a code after a trial?

A service may end a trial set out in its terms. A paid subscription, however, must have been clearly accepted: if it was not, you can dispute the charge.